Burial tablet



Dece 10, 1935. D, E T ET AL 2,623,519

BURIAL TABLET Filed June 30, 1934 INVENTORS face 2. Jar/riff, if 5 a J'zaaZ f ATTORNEYS.

ll IIIIH IHII II UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BURIAL TABLET Wallace D. Durrett and Alva B. Stout, Kansas City, Mo.

Application June 30, 1934, Serial No. 733,162

3 Claims.

This invention relates to marking devices and particularly that type known as burial tablets .that are customarily used to mark a newly made grave either in a more or less permanent manner or during the time between burial and the placement of a permanent monument, and the primary object of the invention is to provide such a tablet having structure whereby names and dates may be formed upon the tablet without the necessity of special castings and in a very expeditious manner.

Another important aim of the instant invention is the provision of a burial tablet having a plurality of plates bearing desired indicia and associated in assembled relation through the medium of the standard which serves to support the entire tablet in operative position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a burial tablet having structure whereby a number of desired indicia-bearing blocks may be moved to place and so held that, if desired, the blocks may be removed and. others substituted to permit the tablet being used many different times.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a burial tablet having one or more openings formed therein, wherein may be removably positioned a series of indicia-bearing blocks, said tablet having structure disposed adjacent the openings so as to engage and hold the blocks against displacement.

Other objects of the invention will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein is illustrated one exemplification of the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a burial tablet embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a back elevation of the tablet.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed, sectional View taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, view of a portion of the back of the tablet.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional View taken on line VI VI of Fig. 3, and,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, back view of the tablet with all of the indicia-bearing blocks entirely removed.

Like reference characters designate similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing, and while any number of plates or attachments may be relatedly mounted upon rod ll] of the standard, but one main plate I2 and an auxiliary plate l4 will be herein described. The

standard comprises the rod Iii and an anchor l6 which, when inserted into the ground, will preclude turning of the rod. The lower ends of rod It and anchor 16 are pointed or otherwise sharpened as at I8 and 2t respectively. Main 5 plate 12 should be cast to present a pleasing con-. tour and may have suitable decorations formed thereon as desired. In casting this plate l2, laterally extending, integral lugs 22 and it should be formed and each must have an aperture 10 formed theretluough to receive rod 40. These apertures of lugs 22 and 24 should be in alignment so that the rod It! may be moved therethrough and upwardly beyond the upper edge of plate l2 if it becomes desirable to mount a deco- 5 ration or other device above main plate l2.

A set screw 26 in screwthreaded engagement with a tapped opening formed in lug 22 bears against rod ll] when the tablet is being assembled. 2O

Auxiliary plate 14 should have its upper edge 28 of a contour like the lower edge of plate I2 so that the two plates I2 and it might be brought together as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. A lug 3!! should be formed on the back of plate l4 to 25 extend laterally therefrom and the aperture formed therethrough should be in alignment with apertured lugs 22 and 24 of plate 12. Thus when the two plates are threaded upon rod l0, set screw 32 in screwthreaded engagement with a tapped opening formed in lug 30 will also bear against rod H) to hold plate l4 against longitudinal movement therealong.

The novel manner of precluding relative movement about rod It on the part of plates 12 and 35 I4 is exemplified by ears 34 formed on auxiliary plate l4 and extending upwardly against the back of plate l2. When the two plates and the associated parts thereof are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing, a substantially unitary rigid structure is produced.

The method of attaching the series of indiciabearing blocks 36 is the same on each plate and the novelly formed blocks may be moved to position in either plate. Main plate I?! has one or more openings 38 formed therein to receive these indicia-bearing blocks. The openings may be of any length, but their width from upper edge 45 to lower edge 42 should be substantially the same as the distance between the base of upper groove 44 and lower groove 46 of the blocks 36. A portion of the length of opening 38 is greater in width than the remaining part and this widened portion 48 is for the purpose of admitting the indicia-bearing blocks 36 into opening 38.

number of blank filler blocks 36 without indiciathereon, and the necessary number of letters and figures should be included when the invention is practiced commercially to the extent of .shipping a burial tablet embodying this invention. The end blocks 56 have a flange 56 formed along the side thereof to assist in completely closing opening 38 so that when a sufiicient number of the blocks are moved to location, no part of opening 38 will be left in View.

. The individual blocks 36 are so formed at the grooves 44 and 46 thereof as to present an arcuate cross sectional contour along the inner side of one wall forming each groove respectively. This arcuateness is shown clearly in Fig. 4 and is a necessary mechanical feature which permits easy insertion and removal of the blocks 35'. A further refinement of structure in these blocks is the shortening of one wall 58 that forms the upper groove 44-. With this wall 58 shortened, it is easy to tilt or rock one of the blocks 36to position at the enlarged portion 48' of opening 38'.

So constructing each block will insure that sticking or binding will not take place when the blocks 36 are being moved into the operative position.

As the memorial tablet is illustrated in the drawing, main plate 12 bears merely a name and two dates. is usually sufficient and since the foregoing description with respect to one opening in-plate l2 teaches the manner of employing a larger num- This amount of illustrated indicia her, it will be unnecessary to further describe the exact construction of main plate l2.

Auxiliary plate M is oftentimes used to convey advertising for the undertaker and may hear his name. In this instance, merely a conventional inscription is illustrated. The opening in auxiliary plane I 4 and associated lug'GEl with set screw 62 is all precisely the same as before described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as newand desired to be secured by Let- 1Q ters Patent is:

l. A tablet comprising a plate having an opening formed therethrough; and a plurality of grooved indicia-bearing blocks secured in said opening with the grooves thereof receiving the edges of the plate forming said opening, said plate having a boss formed thereon adjacent one end of said opening and a set screw carried by the boss to clamp the blocks in position.

2'. A tablet comprising a plate having an opening formed therethrough; and a plurality of indioia-bearing block's positioned on said plate in said opening, each of said blocks having a groove formed along opposite edges to receive the plate at said opening edge, the cross sectional contour of one wall of one of saidgrooves being arcuate to permit placement of said block, said one Wall being shorter than the other wall of said groove whereby one'edge of the block may be swung laterally from the plate while the other groove is in engagement with the plate.

3. A tablet comprising a plate having an opening formed therethrough; and a plurality of indicia-bearing blocks positionedon said plate in said opening, each of saidblocks having a groove formed along opposite edges to receive the plate at said opening edge,the crosssectional contour of one wall of said grooves being arcuatetopermitplacement of said block, one wall of one of said grooves being shorter than the other wall .2

forming. that groove.

WALLACE D. DURRET'I. ALVA B. STOUT. 

